


Hey, Bi The Way...

by Lady_Vibeke



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bisexual Barry Allen, Bisexual Mick Rory, Flirting, Hot Puns, Humor, Idiots in Love, Len and Lisa are little shits, M/M, Mick Rory is a Softie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 20:48:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20784869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Vibeke/pseuds/Lady_Vibeke
Summary: Barry is straight, he's absolutely sure of that.Well, he's like ninety-seven percent sure.Maybe ninety-five.Thing is, the guy in front of him right now is hot.Like,reallyhot.Not a'Wow, you're attractive!'kind of hot, but more like a'Fuck, you just set my whole body on fire!'kind of hot. Which, according to common knowledge, is not a level of hot a straight guy is supposed to be subject to, at least not with another guy. Especially when the guy in question is the living epitome of alpha masculinity: tall, broad, big muscles and scruffy charm and everything.So, huh. Maybe Barry is like fifty percent straight and fifty percent gay.Wait, no. This technically this makes himbi,doesn't it?Okay, sixty and forty? Fifty-one and forty-nine, maybe?Yeah, still bi.Shit.[ aka the Flashwave coffee shop AU nobody asked for. ]





	Hey, Bi The Way...

Barry is straight, he's absolutely sure of that.

Well, he's like ninety-seven percent sure.

Maybe ninety-five.

Thing is, the guy in front of him right now is hot.

Like, _really_ hot.

Not a _'Wow, you're attractive!'_ kind of hot, but more like a _'Fuck, you just set my whole body on fire!'_ kind of hot. Which, according to common knowledge, is not a level of hot a straight guy is supposed to be subject to, at least not with another guy. Especially when the guy in question is the living epitome of alpha masculinity: tall, broad, big muscles and scruffy charm and everything.

So, huh. Maybe Barry is like fifty percent straight and fifty percent gay.

Wait, no. This technically this makes him _bi,_ doesn't it?

Okay, sixty and forty? Fifty-one and forty-nine, maybe?

Yeah, still bi.

Shit.

_Wow,_ he thinks, trying to breathe evenly while the blue-eyed hunk in front of him decides what to get. _A sexual awakening is absolutely not how I expected to begin my week._

"I'll get a large macchiato with a chocolate chip muffin."

The guy's gravelly voice sends a jolt of electricity across Barry's spine. This is a little unsettling: he's not used to getting these feelings from men. And it's not like it's unpleasant, but... unexpected. Good unexpected, though.

He takes the twenty bucks the guy hands to him and gives him his change. When their fingers brush, he feels an immediate response in his lower belly.

Well, this is awkward.

"Thanks, kid."

"Y-you're welcome," Barry stutters, feeling himself flush head to toe. Being called _kid_ by that voice... He suddenly understands why people are so obsessed with Daddy jokes.

"May I have your name, sir?" he asks as professionally as he can. "F-for your order."

The guy can probably sense his nervousness, because he looks at him with an amused little smirk that turns Barry's knees into jelly.

"You can call me Mick," he checks the name tag on Barry's apron. "Barry," he says with a tone that says _wink,_ and even though he doesn't actually wink, Barry still turns into a useless pile of goo.

He struggles to keep his cool until Mick moves aside to wait in line for his order, then Barry braces himself to the counter and lets out a long, shaky breath. He's been bi for like two minutes and he's already overwhelmed to a point he can barely function.

He's extremely confused.

Is it because this attraction to guys is new to him that he feels so ruffled?

Is this going to happen with every hot man who's gonna walk in from now on?

Is this his life, now?

*

It definitely doesn't happen with every hot man who walks in.

Not that Jitters has a lot of men as hot as Mick coming and going, but still. At the very least, he's glad he doesn't have to fend off a bi-panic attack every time a cute guy smiles at him.

He doesn't see Mick for a couple of days and his anxious, pessimistic ass has already accepted that it was just a one time thing and he's never going to see those steel-blue eyes again when, on a rainy afternoon, the door opens and Mick walks in, soaked head to toe.

"Pick whatever you like," he grumbles, shivering, when Barry asks for his order. "Jus' make it scorchin' hot, I'm frozen to the bone."

"I know exactly how to warm you up!" Barry says brightly. Mick arches a brow at him, making Barry realise his words could be easily misinterpreted. "Uh, I- I mean with a drink."

Mick looks at him with a glint in his eyes. "What was the other option?"

Barry quickly erases the picture of himself wrapped around Mick's shivering body and tries to focus on the thought of sad, abandoned puppies and orphaned kittens.

"How about a chili hot cocoa?" he suggests, voice an octave higher than normal. "Brazilian recipe, the best of the best!"

"Gone," says Mick. He looks a little amused.

Barry swallows when a couple of droplets roll down Mick's face to die along his neck. Someone should tell Mick he shouldn't wear shirts with such low V-necks, because it's very distracting.

In fact, Barry has to ask the next few customers to repeat their orders twice because all he can think about now is what lies beneath that wet shirt.

He's a horrible, horrible person.

*

One week later, Mick walks in with the hottest, most gorgeous young woman Barry has ever seen, and the world crumbles.

If perfection had a face, it would most positively be this girl's face.

Barry's jaw falls as he takes her in, mouth going slightly dry (bi panic in three, two, one...): endless legs wrapped in leather, a generous cleavage showing off soft, rounded breasts, and the most perfect set of features he's ever seen. Her lips spread into a beautiful smile for something Mick has said, and Barry can't decide if he actually hates her or it's just the 'fox and grapes' effect.

Grudgingly, he has to admit it's likely the latter. Besides, it's a bit unfair to hate people just because they're gorgeous, he realises. It's not the girl's fault she was born flawless.

But still.

With such an unearthly creature in Mick's life, Barry never stood a chance.

"Welcome to Jitters!" he greets, injecting as much cheerfulness as he can into each word. He's sure the grin he plasters across his face looks pitiful, but he deserves credit for trying, at least. "What can I get you today?"

Mick gives him a nod and one of those smirks that never fail to make Barry feel like he'll never be attracted to women again, and it works, until the beautiful girl by Mick's side smiles at him and Barry's attraction to girls is suddenly very alive again. He still needs to figure out this bisexuality thing, he's not sure it's installed properly in his system. He guesses he'll get a better grasp on it with time, or so he hopes, because it's seriously confusing.

"Usual for me," Mick says, then turns a soft gaze to the girl: "What about you, doll?"

"You know what I like, brother."

"Brother?" Barry asks before he can stop himself. Nobody in their right mind would call their boyfriend brother, right?

"Why, don't we look alike?" Gorgeous asks impishly, voice like silk and honey.

Now that she mentions it, Barry realises they don't. All they have in common is unfair hotness and striking eyes, and they're not even the same colour.

"Not really."

"He's adopted," Gorgeous says, brushing a kiss on Mick's cheek. Barry expects him to jerk away, or make a face, but he just looks at her with eyes full of fondness and hands out a twenty to Barry.

"A small black coffee with two shots of cream for her."

So Gorgeous is not Mick's girlfriend.

Good.

Great.

Awesome.

She observes Barry as he rings their orders and gives him a knowing grin when he hands out the change to Mick, trying really hard not to look too smitten.

Barry has the weird impression she knows something he doesn't.

*

Gorgeous' name is Lisa and it turns out she has another gorgeous brother named Leonard, because extremely hot people are something like wolves and (besides being dangerous) they tend to live in packs, apparently.

When Mick walks in with both of them, one morning, Barry has a hard time keeping a straight face (great, his life is a pun, now): his hands start sweating and he feels really uncomfortable in his pants, which is not nice at all, since his shift has just started.

How do bi people even have normal lives? Barry's been consciously bi for less than a week and he can't even serve three (very hot) customers without panicking. Is this going to be his life from now on? Does he get free emotional support for confused neo-bisexuals?

He groans inwardly as the trio approach the counter, looking like the leather-clad spawn of angels and demons walking among humble humans. Seriously, though: do these guys even have a permit to mingle with impressionable people?

"Hey, Barry," Lisa says in a sugary drawl. She's holding Leonard's arm, a bright smile shining on her face. Leonard's wearing his usual, subtle frown.

"Hi, guys,” says Barry. “What can I get you today?"

Leonard hands him a twenty. "Medium blacks for me and Lisa. Mick," He sends his friend a mischievous sideways chuckle, which he quickly turns to Barry. "What he wants is not on the menu."

Mick is not amused. "Shut up, you jerk."

"Leave him, alone, Lenny,” scolds Lisa. “I'm sure Barry would be happy to give Mick an off-the-menu treat, if that was up to him." She gives Barry a suggesting look, which he doesn't quite get, so he just smiles back and says:

"There's a suggestion box, if you want to propose an addition to the menu."

Leonard tsks: "Don't bother, Scarlet.” Barry wishes his red apron hadn't prompted such a silly nickname. “I have a feeling Mick's request wouldn't be a viable option."

"Get this idiot outta my sight, Lise,” Mick snaps, shoving Leonard away from himself. “Before I break his pretty nose."

Lisa drags her brother away, giggling, and together they find a table. Leonard has already paid, but Mick is still lingering.

"So, uhm, anything else?" Barry inquires.

Mick observes him; it's like he wants to say something and for a moment Barry thinks he's about to speak, but then Mick shakes his head.

"We're good. Keep the change."

"Oh.” Barry deflates like a balloon. “Thanks."

Mick gives him a lopsided smirk before leaving. "You're welcome, kid."

Barry savours the wave of pleasure that ripples through his body. If he didn't know better, he'd think Mick calls him _kid_ on purpose, just to make him flustered. Or to see him smile.

But he _does_ know better and there is no way Mick is flirting with him.

Right?

*

One day, Mick comes in looking like a Pollock painting in shades of red and purple.

“What happened to your face?” Barry inquires at once, curious and also a little worried. He registers a split lip, a cut eyebrow and several abrasions on the left side of his face.

“Got into a fight last night,” Mick says dismissively.

“What?” Barry always pegged him as a feisty type, but this is too much. “Did you see a doctor?”

“What for?”

“Mick, those are some nasty wounds!”

Mick smirks smugly. “You should see the other guy.”

“What happened?” Barry asks, though he's not entirely sure he wants to know.

“The moron was beatin' up a dog.” Mick shrugs. “Can't stand bullies.”

Oh no.

Oh_ no._

Barry kinda wants to kiss him. And slap him, too, because it could have ended much much worse than this.

“You're a hero,” he breathes, still focused on keeping his instincts at bay.

“That's a bit of a stretch,” Mick argues, brow arched, but Barry can see the comment pleased him.

“You are to me!” he insists, because he _is._ “And to that dog, too, I bet!”

Mick looks at him for a long moment, appearing half amused and half wistful.

“You know how to flatter a guy, huh?”

His wolfish grin punches Barry's breath away, in the most pleasant way.

“Order whatever you like! On the house, today!”

Mick makes an honourable attempt to protest but Barry's insistence is tough to fight, so in the end he gives up and asks for a cappuccino. Barry makes it double and throws in a chocolate chip cookie because a man who saves a dog deserves way better than a lame cappuccino.

When he hands out the order to Mick, he's awarded with a puzzled expression that quickly morphs into a disbelieving smile.

Barry blushes to his toes and waits for Mick to turn his back to him to release a tense breath.

Dammit, this crush thing is really getting out of hand.

*

When Mick doesn't show up for a whole week, Barry has a mild abstinence crisis. He didn't know until now how much just seeing the man walk into the coffee shop brightened his days.

It's his third day of gloomy moping when finally the door opens and Mick walks in, looking slightly less grumpy than usual.

Barry welcomes him with a smile that probably outshines the whole room's illumination.

"All alone today?"

A corner of Mick's mouth curls. "Len and Lisa were bored of the city life, took a couple of weeks off."

"Countryside?"

"Iceland."

"Oh.” Barry's eyes go as big as saucers. “That's... quite a treat."

"They're takin' this route called the Golden Ring or somethin', gonna be outta the way for a while.” Mick meets Barry's eyes. “I'm a free man for the rest of the month."

Barry's mouth is annoyingly dry again. Why is he like that?

"That's great!” he exclaims, if a little croakily. “For you, I mean. It's- it's good to have some time on your own. I guess? Assuming you don't have anyone to spend it with. Which is absolutely not a given, because I'm sure there's plenty of people who'd love to be with you. I-in a friendly way..."

"Kid. You're rambling."

"Sorry.” Barry clears his throat. Great, now Mick probably thinks he's an idiot. “What can I get you today?"

"When you gettin' off?"

Barry blinks. "Six thirty. Why?"

Mick slips Barry ten dollars and chuckles. "Large macchiato for me and whatever you like for you. I'll be back at six."

"O... kay?" Barry takes the note and watches Mick's back as he stuffs his hands in his pockets and walks out of the shop whistling under his breath.

He might be mistaken, but he has a feeling he's just been picked up by his man crush.

*

They take their coffees and go out. It's dark and chilly outside but it's nice to breathe some fresh air after so many hours in the stuffy atmosphere of the café.

They drink and walk and talk. They talk of everything that comes to their minds, and it's stupid things like their favourite ice cream flavours and most embarrassing moment, and also serious things like the demons lurking in Mick's past and the fire that took his whole family away. So Barry tells him about his own tragedies, about him mom's death and his dad's unfair incarceration, and Mick nods and looks at him with a shade of grief in his eyes that tells Barry he truly understands what he went through. Then they switch to nicer memories and Barry learns how Mick, just like Barry himself, found his new family in the darkest moment of his life and with their help got back on his feet and started over again.

They have so much in common, the two of them, that Barry almost thinks they were destined to meet, that their mutual attraction wasn't as inexplicable as he initially thought: it came from their soul instinctively recognising a kindred spirit.

They're leaning over the rails along the river banks, and the moon is huge above them, and it's all very romantic, when Barry finally finds the guts to ask:

"Uhm, Mick? Is this- is this a date?"

Mick's lips curl; he slowly turns to Barry, elbows on the rail.

"You're a smart kid, huh?”

That's sarcasm, isn't it? But Mick is smiling, so it's, like, good sarcasm?

“We gotta make the most of these two weeks, as long as the snoopy brats are away,” Mick continues while Barry tries to decide if he just made a fool of himself. Apparently not. He grins and Mick seems confused.

“What?"

Barry shakes his head. "Nothing. I'm just feeling really smug right now."

"Why?"

"I've had a crush on you since the very first time you walked into Jitters."

"Oh, that."

"You _knew?"_

"You ain't subtle,” Mick laughs. It's a sound Barry's never heard before and he's quite positive he would happily sell his soul to hear it as often as possible. “Your poker face's shit, kid."

"In my own defence,” he objects shyly. “I gotta say I never liked a guy before you. It was a little... you know, weird."

Mick nods like he knows exactly what he means.

"But it ain't weird now?"

"No,” confirms Barry, and it's true. He barely knows Mick but this – the date, them standing so close and being so intimate – this doesn't seem strange at all. “It actually feels pretty... easy? Wait, no, that's not what I mean. Comfortable? Normal?"

Mick lets out a low laugh. "I think the word you're lookin' for is _natural."_

It's like a spark ignites in Barry's mind.

"Yes! That's exactly what I was trying to say! Thank you."

"I got a few years of experience on you," Mick says with something nostalgic in his tone.

"Consider me zero experience,” Barry warns. “With guys, I mean. Well, it's not like I had dozens of girls, either, but-"

Bent over the rail, Mick looks up at Barry: "You ramble a lot, you know that?"

"Ah, yes.” Barry scratches the back of his head, his neck and ears feeling very hot. “I do. Sorry about that, happens when I'm nervous. Which is basically most of the time. I have a rather fidgety personality, so to speak."

"How do people shut you up?"

Barry shrugs. "They don't. Normally they let me ramble on and on and just zone out. You can totally do that, I won't be offended. I realise I can be a little-"

Mick suddenly straightens up and unceremoniously seizes Barry by his hoodie.

"Permission to kiss you," he whispers upon Barry's lips, and Barry's knees threaten to give in.

"Oh.” It's not even a question, really, but Barry still feels compelled to answer. “Granted!” he says eagerly. “Absolutely granted! Why do you even-"

And then there's silence.

There's silence because Barry has been mercifully interrupted by Mick's lips colliding with his own.

He hasn't kissed anyone in... way too long. But the way Mick kisses – harshly and yet surprisingly tenderly – isn't even close to anything Barry's ever experienced so far, a rush of raw emotion breaking through his body and setting everything on its path on fire.

Barry lets out a groan of protest when Mick pulls back; it takes him a moment to ground himself again and find his power of speech.

“Wow,” he pants, dizzy and breathless. “That was- How- Where did you learn to do _that?”_

Mick chuckles, his hands still on Barry's hips. “As I said, I got a few years of experience on you. I'm full of surprisin' skills.”

Barry gulps. He may or may not be a slightly aroused. “Now you're deliberately teasing me.”

Mick pulls him back to himself. There's an air of possessiveness to him and, oh, Barry loves it. He also absently notes that, to his own relief, he's not the only one who's aroused.

“You thirsty, Barry?” Mick mutters.

Barry gulps.

Oh god, his name and _that_ voice...

“Yes.”

“Gotta do somethin' about that, huh?”

The mere suggestion nearly blinds Barry with lust. Seriously, this dry spell has lasted way too long if he can barely be touched without coming undone.

“Promises, promises,” he whispers, and before Mick can say anything he kisses him again, this time taking control, pushing Mick back against the rail as his tongue demands access into his mouth, hungry, greedy.

For his first time kissing a guy, this is going impressively well.

“You're goin' too fast, kid,” Mick warns, and Barry is glad to notice he's a bit breathless too.

“You're too hot,” he argues and Mick grins.

“Good match.”

This might be a fire pun.

Barry isn't sure.

He's too busy gloating because, well... having a bisexual awakening and scoring a boyfriend at the same time? Legends only.

**Author's Note:**

> Two fics posted on the same day? What's wrong with me? Also, this is my first Flashwave fic, so... how was it?
> 
> Side note: sending Len and Lisa to Iceland to tour the Golden Circle? Yes, pun intended.
> 
> Also: Barry going too fast and Mick being too hot? "Legends only"? Ditto.
> 
> ALSO: the very wise bisexuality musings may or may not slightly reflect the author's personal experience.
> 
> I'm gonna take a break now, because, seriously, I'll probably have a bad writer's block for like two years after being so productive in one single day. Not good.
> 
> Please, let me know if this was any good. I like this ship, I'd love to write more about them.


End file.
